The invention relates generally to the conveying and diverting of articles and, more particularly, to a conveyor having individually motorized transport elements to transport conveyed articles across the conveyor.
Typical sorting or article-diverting conveyor systems include a conveyor, such as an endless conveyor belt or a slat chain, having shoes for pushing articles across the conveyor. Typically the shoe has an appendage that terminates in a cam follower, such as a roller or a keel. The cam followers ride in a guide track arrangement in the conveyor frame beneath the conveyor. As the conveyor moves, the guide track arrangement directs the cam followers and the associated shoes across the conveyor. In this way, the shoes are programmed by the guide track arrangement to transport product to specific lateral positions at specific points along the conveying path.
But such a conveyor system has shortcomings. As one example, the contact of the cam follower on the guide track structure is noisy and susceptible to damage and wear. Furthermore, the guide track arrangement can be complex and expensive to build. The guide track arrangement usually cannot be changed without stopping the conveyor.
Thus, there is a need for a sorting or article-diverting conveyor system that lacks one or more of these shortcomings.
This need and others are satisfied by a conveying system embodying features of the invention. In one version, the conveying system has an outer conveying side atop which articles are conveyed along a carryway in a direction of travel. A transport element is arranged to ride laterally across the outer conveying side of the conveyor in a direction transverse to the direction of travel. A motor, located with the transport element, drives the transport element and rides with it across the outer conveying side of the conveyor.
According to another aspect of the invention, a conveying system comprises a conveyor conveying articles in a direction of travel along a carryway. The conveyor includes a plurality of transport elements arranged to ride along parallel tracks formed in the conveyor transverse to the direction of travel. A motor is located with each transport element to drive and ride with the transport element along one of the tracks.
A conveying system, in another aspect of the invention, comprises a modular conveyor belt constructed of a series of rows of belt modules hingedly linked together. At least some of the rows include a transport element arranged to ride laterally across the row. A motor located with the transport element drives and rides with the transport element across the row.
According to yet another aspect of the invention, a conveyor belt module extends longitudinally from a forward end to a rearward end, transversely from a left edge to a right edge, and in thickness from a top side to a bottom side. The module body is suitable for being interconnected end to end to other module bodies to form a conveyor belt. A top track formed in the module body extends transversely across the top side of the module between the forward and rearward ends. A transport element rides in the top track. A motor located with the transport element drives and rides with the transport element across the top track.
According to still another aspect of the invention, a modular conveyor belt is constructed of a series of rows of hingedly interconnected belt modules that extend in width from a left edge to a right edge and in thickness from a top side to a bottom side. At least some of the rows include a slot in the top side of the row extending along its width. A guide is disposed in the slot. A transport element translates across the width of the row along the slot. A drive mechanism located with the transport element translates with the transport element. The drive mechanism includes a motor and a gear wheel rotated by the motor. The rotating gear wheel engages the guide to translate the transport element along the slot.
In another version of the invention, a conveying system comprises a conveyor conveying articles in a direction of travel along a carryway. The conveyor includes a lateral slot formed in the conveyor in a direction transverse to the direction of travel. A guide resides in the slot. A motor located with the transport element drives a drive element, which engages the guide to drive the transport element along the slot.
In yet another version, a conveying system comprises a conveyor conveying articles in a direction of travel along a carryway. The conveyor includes a plurality of transport elements arranged on the conveyor to ride along parallel lateral tracks transverse to the direction of travel. A motor associated with each of the transport elements drives it along one of the tracks. A local controller associated with each of the transport elements and the associated motor controls the activation of the motor.
According to another aspect of the invention, a conveying system comprises a slat conveyor constructed of a plurality of parallel drag chains driven in a direction of travel. Parallel slats are attached to and span the drag chains. At least some of the slats include a lateral slot formed in a direction transverse to the direction of travel. A motor drives a transport element along the slot. A local controller associated with the motor controls the activation of the motor.
According to another aspect, a conveying system comprises a slat conveyor that includes a plurality of parallel drag chains driven in a direction of travel spanned by slats attached to the chains. At least some of the slats include a lateral slot, a transport element that rides along the slot, and a motor that rides with and drives the transport element along the slot.
According to yet another aspect, a slat conveyor comprises parallel drag chains spanned by slats attached to the chains. At least some of the slats include motorized transport elements that ride along the slat. One of the drag chains is electrically powered to provide electric power to drive the transport element across the slat.
According to still another aspect, a slat conveyor comprises parallel drag chains spanned by slats attached to the chains. An external electric power source has an ungrounded terminal electrically coupled to one of the drag chains.